More tainted feed suspected at more farms

US federal health investigators suspect that they will find more farms
that received tainted animal feed but stressed that the threat to people is
minimal. 'It was only a small portion of what the poultry was fed, and human
consumers will only use poultry as a small portion of their diet', according to
Dr. David Acheson from USDA.

On Monday, investigators announced that byproducts from tainted pet food had
been used in chicken feed on some farms in Indiana. A few days earlier,
they said that pig farms in six states may have received tainted pet food for
use as feed. Dr. David Acheson said the threat level to pets is greater than to
livestock or humans. "It was only a small portion of what the poultry was fed,
and human consumers will only use poultry as a small portion of their diet,"
Acheson said.By contrast, pets often eat the same product exclusively, he
said.

No recall on poultry issuedOfficials said that as many
as three million young chickens out of nine billion slaughtered
annually may have eaten feed that potentially included an ingredient containing
the melamine. They have already been slaughtered for human consumption, but
because there is no evidence that consumption is unsafe, no recall has been
issued.

Discovery of new casesAcheson said that the
investigation tracking contaminated pet food is complex and sweeping, which is
why it could lead to the discovery of new states that are affected. "There is a
distinct possibility that it will broaden," Acheson said. "I'm not saying that
it will, but we need to be prepared for that to happen."